Officer Report and Recommendation

Case Officer: Mr Jamie Leadbeater Photo Taken: Site Visit: Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the first floor of a modern three storey end-of-terrace building on Parliament Street, Ramsey. It is situated on a corner site where Parliament Street and Christian Street cross. The net floor space area of the first floor is 127 square metres. The site is not located within a Conservation Area.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the change-of-use of a first floor retail unit to a self-contained office suite.

Planning History

1. The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. However, other properties on the same part of Parliament Street have been subject of the following applications which are similar to the current proposal:

04/02557/GB - Change of use and alterations to existing ground floor office with residential floors over to office accommodation (in association with 04/02557/CON), 10 Auckland Terrace, Parliament Street – Approved.

99/00101/GC - Change of use from retail to office accommodation, 8 Auckland Terrace, Parliament Street – Approved. 95/01729/C - Change of use from residential dwelling to office accommodation, 7, Auckland Terrace, Parliament Street – Approved. 92/01628/C - Change of use of ground floor to office accommodation with evening meetings, 6 Auckland Terrace, Parliament Street – Approved.

Planning Policy

Application No.:	12/00752/C
Applicant:	Corwen Ltd
Proposal:	Change of use of first floor of existing Opticians to a self-contained office suite
Site Address:	Corletts Opticians
Kermode House
Parliament Street
Ramsey
Isle Of Man
IM8 1AQ

1. The application site falls within an area designated for Town Centre, mixed-uses in the Ramsey Local Plan 1998. There are two policies within Planning Circular 2/99, the written statement that accompanies the local plan, which are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application which state:

Policy R/I/P5 'Office development' states:

"New office uses may be located in the Town Centre (reference: Policy R/TC/P4) and the Mooragh Promenade area (reference: Policy R/I/P6)".

Policy R/TC/P3 'Upper floors' states:

"The use of upper floors as retail units, offices and apartments shall be encouraged particularly where premises are currently vacant (see also Policy R/R/P4)".

Paragraph 9.5 in Planning Circular 2/99 states, "Offices more traditionally occupying the upper floors of premises, are moving to ground floor premises in the principal retail streets and a continuation of such changes may have implications for the overall townscape as well as the quality of the established shopping facilities. Any further proposed conversion to office use will need to assess the building's townscape value and whether the conversion is necessary to secure the building's continued use and maintenance e.g. Registered Building (reference: Policy R/TC/P4)".

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. General Policy 2 states:

"Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;
• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space".

Business Policy 7 states:

"New office floor space should be located within town and village centres on land which is zoned for the purpose on the appropriate area plan; exceptionally, permission may be given for new office space:

a) on approved Business Parks for Corporate Headquarters which do not involve day to day callers; or, b) in buildings of acknowledged architectural or historic interest for which office use represents the only or most appropriate practicable and economic way of securing future use, renovation and maintenance".

The Strategic Plan only refers to parking requirements for new office developments. Whilst this proposal is not a new development, for purposes of guidance, Transport Policy 7 states:

"The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards". The current standards are set out in

Appendix 7. Paragraph A.7.6 in Appendix 7 of the Strategic Plan states, town centre offices should provide 1 parking space per every 50 metres of net floor space. The paragraph goes on to say:

"These standards may be relaxed where development: a) would secure the re-use of a Registered Building or a building of architectural or historic interest; or b) would result in the preservation of a sensitive streetscape; or c) is otherwise of benefit to the character of a Conservation Area; or, d) is within a reasonable distance of an existing or proposed bus route and it can demonstrated a reduced level of parking will not result in unacceptable on street parking in the locality".

Representations

1. The Highways Division recommends approval as the proposal has no adverse traffic management, parking or road safety implications.

Assessment

1. The proposal does not entail any physical alterations to the property and therefore the application should be assessed against the proposed use's compatibility with the surrounding area. The application site is designated for mixed-uses, one of which is office use. Furthermore, from analysing the planning history of properties on the side of Parliament Street, it is deduced the use of properties for office use is well established and not overly intensive to ensure of other uses can continue to flourish. Subsequently, it is not considered this proposal would be detrimental to the viability and vitality of the mixed-use area.

1. The proposed floor area is accessed from a shared stairwell that is accessible from outside the building. Subsequently, this is considered to be a suitable access to ensure the uses of other floors in the building are not adversely affected in respect of adversely affecting their general amenity beyond an acceptable level.

1. The application property does not have a dedicated parking provision attached to it. Under the guidance set out in Appendix 7 of the Strategic Plan, given the floor-space of the application site, it would be expected that a minimum of 3 spaces be provided either on or off-site, however, in town centre locations these standards may be relaxed upon demonstrating the proposal will not have an unacceptable impact on on-street parking in the surrounding area. Whilst the applicant has not provided any evidence to demonstrate that the proposal will not have an adverse impact on the town centre highways, given that the Highways Division have not raised any concerns to the proposal, it is not considered the lack of dedicated parking will be detrimental to the functions of Ramsey town centre.

1. Overall, on balance, it is considered the proposed floor area offers many merits in planning terms for office use, which allay concerns raised by a lack of dedicated parking provision and therefore is acceptable.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

The local authority, Ramsey Town Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered “interested persons” and as such should be afforded party status.

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 09.07.2012

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The use must be taken up within four years of the date of this notice in order for this approval to remain valid after that time.

C 2. This approval relates to the use of the first floor area in Kermode House, Parliament Street, Ramsey, for self-contained office use, as shown in drawing no. 2119/12/10 and 2119/12/100 received on 12th June 2012, and drawing no. 2119/01 received on 21st May 2012.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made: Permitted Date: 12.19.12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed: _________________________ Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed: _________________________ Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : ... Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : ...

Signed : ... Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed : ...

Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager

12 July 2012

Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager

12 July 2012